Cat Delphi was one of the first recipients of the 2018 MOBO Awards ‘Help Musicians Fund’ and she released her debut single ‘Fire’, which playlisted on BBC Radio 2 for three weeks, back in 2016. Now, Cat has just released her second EP ‘Woman’.
In an exclusive interview with CelebMix, Cat Delphi opens up about the EP, lead single ‘Woman’ and the inspiration behind her music.
Hi Cat. First things first, how are you? Has the New Year got off to a good start?
Hey thanks for having me! Yes it has been fab, I just celebrated my birthday and there’s been lots going on with the EP release!
You’ve just released your EP ‘WOMAN’ – how does it feel to finally have it released?
There’s a mixture of feelings you get when releasing music you’ve written for people to hear! I really hope people connect with it lyrically and it’s just super exciting to see something you’ve created on iTunes for anyone to hear – that feeling never gets old!
The EP was created using the funding you received from the MOBO Awards – what the process like creating this EP?
They have been super supportive in the creative process. I was lucky enough to have a dear friend and brilliant producer Leo Appleyard to produce all 4 tracks so we had a lot of fun bringing the vision to life in the studio, as I bring all my songs to a session as acoustic piano ballads. I had a great photographer Niklas Haze (who shot G-Eazy & Tom Odell), to capture the artwork as I particularly wanted the visuals to be strong and represent a strong woman!
When creating songs, do you find it easier to write the lyrics first or create the melody? Or does it happen organically on a track by track basis?
I always write at the piano as I am a pianist first and foremost. I find that the melodies I create on the piano evoke an emotion for me, then I just get lost in the moment and start singing lyrics – then I can tell what the song will be about from that moment, by how the music moves me. I never write with a pre-conceived message. It’s always something that’s buried deep and I just have to breathe life into it.
Can you tell us about the lead single ‘WOMAN’? – what made you choose that as the lead single and what was the inspiration behind the track?
I have felt so inspired at how women from all over the world have come together and had their voices heard. So much change has happened through the power of social media. The fact is, that every woman has a story, every woman has felt like the lesser sex at some point in her life. There has been this incredible journey over the years and now women are really being heard and taken seriously for what feels like the first time.
The EP celebrates women today and touches upon some of the issues that have faced women over the last couple of years – was it important for you to write and sing about such an important topic?
Yeah, super important. I really enjoyed exploring this topic and found that the lyrics came quite naturally. What a time to be alive, we are finally celebrating equality, and speaking out about so many issues that have been swept under the carpet for years! This includes issues with race, sexuality and gender. I feel that there is still a long way to go – in my second verse I sing ‘if I had a baby, how could I tell her don’t worry, with all the hating & the bad things she sees on TV’. I hope my children’s children won’t even see these things as an issue worth debating & by that point, everyone will be seen as equal and based purely on who they are as a human being – imagine that!
Were the tracks for the EP written organically or did you already have the theme of womanhood in mind when it came to writing and choosing the tracks?
I had written quite a few more tracks for the EP, but the chorus part of ‘Woman’ came so naturally, I came up with the piano hook & suddenly started belting out ‘freedom’ at the top of my lungs, from then on, I knew what the song would be about and what I wanted to say. It’s funny, I probably couldn’t have written the lyrics if I wasn’t sat at the piano, as that is where I feel most comfortable and where I can say things I usually wouldn’t if I was just talking to someone. After writing this one I got super inspired and wanted to tie all my songs into this theme of being a woman, with the other songs touching on self-realization, love and heartache.
Speaking of women, which women would you say inspire you the most?
This is going to sound like a totally bizarre answer as it’s not a woman, but growing up, it was my Dad that gave me the courage to stand up for myself and have my voice heard in a male dominated industry. He told me about all the awful things I would face and basically told me to grow a pair if I wanted to survive! BUT! I’ll be good and answer the question correctly with the only answer a person can give …BEYONCE!! The ultimate example of how a woman can be kind and a role model whilst not taking any shit!
What’s the best piece of advice you would give to all the women out there?
Oh I’ve made so many mistakes in my life so I’m definitely not one to give advice! But I’ve had so much fun whilst making these mistakes so maybe that should be my advice! Along as you learn things about yourself and others along the way and have a bloody good laugh at all your flaws! I’ve always listened to advice in life but ultimately made my own decisions.
Finally, what can we expect from you in the next couple of months?
I’ll be doing some live shows in the next few months (will be announcing on my Facebook page) and I’m starting to write for my first album which is super daunting but exciting!!
Thank you to Cat Delphi for taking the time to chat with us. Make sure to follow her on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with all her latest music and live show updates!
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